boathouse rotisserie & raw bar

a perfect experience. my wife, three children and i all ate at theboathouserotisserie restaurant on our last day in chattanooga for memorial day weekend. this was our first time visiting. we started off with the oysters on the half shell and then we all had the el scorcho shellfish stew. it was phenomenal. filling, tasty, beautiful view of the water and our server, omar, was very attentive, polite and gave us incredible service. the next time we go to tennessee, we will definitely make another trip there. it was a perfect experience. kudos.
the only disappointing thing was they did not have a kids menu but we ordered two sides of rice and six peel and eat shrimp for my 5 and 6 year old.

so far very good. i was a bit hesitant about tryingboathouseconsidering the score and reviews, but my mom and sister's family love it. we went for an early mother's day lunch and everything was fantastic. i called ahead as we had a party of 6. when i arrived we only had to wait a few minutes for a table on the deck with a marvelous view of the river. the host was very accomodating. our server arrived quickly and took drink and appetizer orders.

the grilled squid was fresh, tender and had an excellent grilled flavor. the fried oysters were plentiful and juicy. my wife adored her lotta lotta garlic chicken with avocado and black beans. my sister's family were equally happy with their food and drinks.

i can't account for the other negative reviews, but this is our second visit and both have been all we could hope for in a casual dining restaurant.

one other note relating to an earlier review:boathousedoes not take reservations, but rather "priority seating" meaning if you call ahead, once you arrive you are put at the top of the waiting list if there is a wait. also, priority seating only applies to inside seating, not deck seating. this was explained to me when i called ahead, so was not bothered by our short wait. my wife and i were seated as soon as the table was ready, in spite of the sign up front saying parties would only be seated once a majority were there, and despite the fact we decided to take a table outside where priority seating doesn't apply.

you can find theboathouserotisserie & raw bar, as the name would suggest, at 1459 riverside dr, chattanooga, tn 37406 overlooking the tennessee river. the views, especially from the deck and many windows, were quite good - you can see the touristy duck boats plying the watery sights, a neighborhood across the river and part of a park. parking is out front and to one or more sides (building sits on a hill) - there seems to be plenty, at least during this late afternoon visit - i imagine they get quite packed in the evenings.

we have driven byboathousefor so many years and never had an opportunity to eat here....made reservations at 3pm but we arrived at 1:30 and our hostess quickly made a change and we were seated immediately.

my wife and i went out to eat tonight with friends, bobby & jen, to theboathouseon amnicola highway. anyone who's ever gone out to eat with us knows that when i have fries, i like them crispy. not burnt, but with a definite crunch. so, i order the fried shrimp, and it came with fries.

the fries were limp. not just under cooked, but limp ! i asked the young man that brought our food out if he would take them back and finish cooking them. he took my plate and returned in less than 30 seconds. i was told the kitchen manager said "we don't do that". so, i asked to see the manager. she came out, introduced herself as angie, and told me they would not cook the fries any more than what they already had.

i was shocked. bobby asked, "isn't the customer always right?" we were told no, that the taste was what's important. they tasted greasy and limp. they don't seem to care for customer satisfaction. the menu says six extra large shrimp. i only had five. i guess what i'm trying to say is, if you want waste $22.00 on greasy fries and less than what you pay for, go see the folks at the boathouse. as for me and my wife, it's not going to happen again.

theboathouseis a classic original chattanooga restaurant. it is located on the tennessee river and has the best seafood in town. make sure to try the ceviche and the oysters! warning, it gets blazing hot in the summer.

awesome place fantastic food!. we visited this place for the first time in april of 2014 for my birthday and what a surprise. fabulous oysters and shrimp ceviche to die for. we dined at the bar and had a great time. staff was friendly and on top of things. we enjoyed it so much we came back the next day. i have been thinking about this place since we first visited so when my husband asked what i wanted to do this year i said ceviche in chattanooga! we drove straight from atlanta to the boathouse. we of course had ceviche and oysters. we also tried the shishito peppers and loved them. i think for the quality of food it is well worth the price. i am sitting here at theboathousetyping this and know one thing...i will be back tomorrow before we go to the farmers market. :-)

for the wine lovers in your group, there is a sips bar for sampling the wines!boathouseis fun and delicious. we are happy to recommend it to our friends.

there is a wide array of different cuisines spanning the gulf of mexico, so i wanted to see what theboathousehad to offer—and hoped for no major oil spills (of the cooking variety, of course).

this restaurant discriminates. i won't lie to you: the view is pleasant. and the food, though overpriced, is decent.

but before you support this chattanooga local business there's something else you should know. theboathouserotisserie & raw bar discriminates against its floor staff. if you are black or an overweight woman, forget about getting a job here. the uber-rich, old, white owner (lawton haygood) won't allow anyone on his staff who doesn't fit his ideals of conventional beauty. gays are okay, but fat chicks and darker skinned folks can forget about it.

this information may not affect the quality of the food, but it sure puts a bad taste in my mouth. if you believe workplace discrimination is wrong, spend your twenty bucks on sam's club salmon elsewhere.

great food, great drinks, and a great time!!!!!. i have to be honest my first experience at theboathousewas not the best... the service was slow and the food was bland... but everyone deserves a second chance, so i decided to go again to be proven wrong.... and guess what?? i was!!!!! i really enjoyed everything about the 2nd experience.... the food was fresh, hot and tasty. the drinks were just right and the service was prompt and friendly... even the owner was kind enough to introduce himself... a very welcoming atmosphere. i had great food, great drinks and a great time. thanksboathousestaff!!!!

decent - would go again.. went for lunch - didn't order seafood, but had a pork plate with grilled okra and slaw. just as their sister restaurant, the wood-grilled okra was delicious. the pork was actually tastier atboathouse(and i've sampled the pork several times at sugar's, so i'm baffled there), and the slaw wasn't slaw at all, but simply cabbage.

the waitress was rude and unhelpful. our party of five was obviously a bother to her. also - one of my companions asked for crackers and she told our party that they weren't available. as we walked out, there were literally bucketfuls of crackers at the bar. gee, thanks.

went to theboathousetonight with our whole family and 2 small children. they have no kid menus and the menu honestly has nothing for children to eat. my kids had to eat saltines and some black beans. they offered a cheese quesadilla but at full menu price: $9. they also have a sign posted that you can't bring in food from other restaurants. please, if you won't have a kids menu or a few kid friendly menu items, it is only fair to let us bring in food.

food guru. we have been going to theboathouse2 to 3 times a week since they opened. they have outstanding staff who are knowledgeable & friendly. we love the fried shrimp, bbq shrimp, all the salads, the fried onion rings and fried mushrooms (uniquely prepared), the el scorcho fish stew, texas dip sandwich, too many favorites to list. the outdoor deck is huge with a fabulous view of the tennessee river. if you have an issue ask for a manager and they will solve your problem if it is possible. my only complaint is the restroom where i would prefer to have paper towels than the blowers.

fabulous. my husband and i were recently fortunate enough to eat at theboathousetwice in one weekend! we shared appetizers and minis amongst us. i love the little shrimp po-boy as well as the brisket and just couldn't get enough of the fried mushrooms. served with a delicious horseradish sauce,they are a real taste treat and i ended up re-ordering more i wasn't willing to share. the lawton marguerita is great. i don't see how anybody could go wrong at this restaurant!